<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Beat That by multifandomhaven</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23904502">Beat That</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomhaven/pseuds/multifandomhaven'>multifandomhaven</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Budding Romance, F/M, Fluff, I don't know if Mikken is actually missing a tooth, but it works in my mind so..., childhood fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:14:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23904502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomhaven/pseuds/multifandomhaven</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the blacksmith's apprentice longs for Robb.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robb Stark/Original Female Character(s), Robb Stark/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beat That</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I said keep the fire stoked," Mikken bellowed, his eyes narrowing in on the girl by the window of the cabin. "Get your head out of the clouds, girl, and keep to your job."</p><p>The girl flinched and raced back over to her post and poked at the embers that had fallen beneath the logs. The fire began to pick up, the hot flames licking at her hand by the time she had finished.</p><p>Still, she was itching to head to the training grounds - she knew that he was waiting for her, just as he did at the end of every week. She had begun training with the young Stark on her eleventh nameday a few years back, but the number of weapons they'd been saddled with didn't give her any room for leisure.</p><p>"Sorry," she mumbled, "I was just-"</p><p>"Thinking about Lord Stark and the training you're missing," he finished her sentence, pounding a scorching red piece of metal. It was sickeningly familiar to her - the long blade would be perfected soon - something fit for the Lords of Winterfell. He continued hammering away at the bit of metal until he was satisfied with the rough shape of it. "You need to keep your head on straight, girl."</p><p>MIkken's eyes softened when he saw her shoulders deflate and her head drop low. "I apologize."</p><p>He too could remember the thrill of childlike wonder - of young love. He sighed and pulled his glove from his hand. "I know you want to go out, but you have to understand that us," he motioned between them, "we're workers."</p><p>"I know," she said quietly. "And I appreciate you taking me in. Teaching me what you know..."</p><p>"Your father was my best friend," he reminded her gently. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for him. For you."</p><p>The girl nodded and turned back around to check the fire again. "I'll keep a better watch over it," she promised.</p><p>"Aye, you will," he agreed.</p><p>He watched her glance at the window once more and cursed under his breath, his hard exterior crumbling for the girl he thought of as his own. "You know, I promised to care for you the best I could," he started.</p><p>"I know," she said quietly. "I don't mean to make it difficult, I-"</p><p>"Seven Hells, girl, you're the best apprentice I could ask for. Your father wouldn't want you ill, would he?" He asked, grinning, his missing tooth front and center. He reach over and ruffled her hair softly. "You're looking a bit flush aren't you, dear? Why don't you go outside and cool down for a bit, hmm?"</p><p>The girl's ears perked and a wide smile split her face. "You mean-"</p><p>"Just for a while," he told her firmly. "I want you back before sundown. Hear me?"</p><p>"Thank you, Mikken! Thank you, thank you," she laughed before she raced out of the cabin and into the falling snow. Her dress fluttered behind her as she ran, her laugh weaving through the trees and echoing all around her. She set her sights on the top of the hill, her heart pounding in excitement.</p><p>She passed by the stables, calling a quick hello to the quartermaster, and then just a bit further up where she knew he'd be waiting.</p><p>Trudging up the frozen mud she pushed off her heel and propelled herself forward to keep from sliding back to the bottom, only to slip, her legs wobbling like a newborn foal, and she fell flat onto her stomach. She groaned and pushed up off the solid ground beneath her, moving so that she was sitting on her behind.</p><p>"There you are," a laugh came from above her. Her eyes went from the pristine boots, up the legs of a pair of breeches, onto the arm reached out to her, covered in a fancy cloak, before she finally met his eyes - Tully blue and shining with mirth. "Are you alright?"</p><p>"Yeah," she nodded, her cheeks burning hot like the fires she stoked. "I'm okay."</p><p>She took his hand and he hauled her up to her feet. He kept her hand in his own, his eyes boring into hers. "Have you been practicing?"</p><p>The girl tutted and took the bow from him. "Of course."</p><p>Robb snorted and handed her an arrow, watching as she aimed, her form perfect, just as he'd taught her, and her breathing steady. She focused on the target, her eyes intense as she let the arrow loose.</p><p>The arrow cut through the air, twirling wildly before it embedded into the target ahead, directly in the center. She turned back to the young Stark and shrugged, her lips pursed to keep from smiling. "Pretty good, eh?"</p><p>"It was a good shot," Robb agreed, unable to keep the awe from showing on his face. "Nicely done."</p><p>The girl curtsied before she reaches the bow back to him. There was a challenge in her eye and Robb noticed right away. He straightened his back, his eyes trained on her lips, watching as they curled into a playful smile.</p><p>"Beat that, my lord."</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>